Dreams of simple, reliable and scalable processes for the much-hyped cell therapy market have generated demand for cost-effective, GMP-compliant manufacturing methods. The drug-screening market is also hungry for material that will allow the establishment of human cell disease models. A growing number of companies are now trying to coax induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into specific cells needed for clinical trials. Others are seeking the same goal through direct transdifferentiation protocols. What method will prove superior?

Following a €1.5m seed financing in 2017, cancer specialist Alderaan Biotechnology SAS has raised €18.5m in a Series A round led by Advent France Biotechnology and Medicxi.

NorthSea Therapeutics BV has raised US$40m to provide proof-of-concept of its NASH drug icosabutate.

4SC AG and Merck KgaA  have signed a supply agreement to start clinical tests of Merck’s checkpoint blocker avelumab plus 4SC’s HDAC I blocker domatinostat.

Despite the threat of a looming climate catastrophe, low oil prices and giant industrial conglomerates addicted to fossil resources continue to stifle industrial biotechnology products and innovation. The European Biotechnology Network is now providing a foot up for companies that want to help themselves by launching three very different projects aimed at pushing the bioeconomy forward.

Mutabilis and IBT Vaccines have successfully bagged US$12m from the Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund.
 

Critical care experts have presented data supporting the thesis that three specific pathways are the cause for about 90% of sepsis mortality.

Norwegian biopharma company Zelluna Immunotherapy appointed erstwhile CSO Namir Hassan as Chief Executive Officer.

Antabio SAS has got a US-$4.4m tranche from CARB-X to advance preclinical development of its P. aeruginosa treatment in Cystic Fibrosis patients

Creoptix AG, a Switzerland-based company focused on next-generation bioanalytical instruments, has named Line Stigen Raquet as Chief Executive Officer.